questionofweek

Hand of the week

Hand of the week, week commencing, Sunday 30th March 2025

Playing MPs Plan your plan in 4♥ after ♦Ace is led followed by switch to ♥5

If you would like to play this hand out then click here

Dealer: West Vuln: None

♠	K 5
♥	A K J 6
♦	Q 9 3
♣	Q 10 8 6

♠	Q
♥	5 4 2
♦	A K J 10 6
♣	A 9 5 3

	N
W		E
W		E
	S

♠	J 9 3
♥	Q 10 8 3
♦	8 5 4 2
♣	J 2

♠	A 10 8 7 6 4 2
♥	9 7
♦	7
♣	K 7 4

W	N	E	S
1♦	1NT	Pass	4♠
End

When this hand was played against me declarer had not heard of restricted choice and proceeded to go one down when the Spades broke 3:1

Lets now replay the hand.

Initially you have just 4 winners i.e. two top Spades and 2 top Hearts.

If the spades break kindly you will make 5 more Spades and 1 club once you force out the club Ace.

With all this in mind after winning the second trick in dummy now play dummy's Spade King and West follows suit with the Queen. The guideline of restricted choice now is applicable. It says that touching honours are more likely to be split between the two defenders' hands. Therefore with East playing the Trump Queen, it is now twice as likely the East has the ♠Jack and you need to finesse up to your reminding A10 of trump pleased to have heard about the restricted choice. Now you get home losing just 1 Diamond and 2 clubs. If you play the Club queen to get rid of West's Ace and then play the King you will make an overtrick as East started out with a doubleton Jack but this is a very unlikely play completely against the odds.

( you can play these hands out using bridgevu.exe and it is available free from http://www.haroldschogger.com/movies.html ) Click on the lin picture above

alternatively watch the film of the hand being played out by going to www.haroldschogger.com/movies2.htm

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